The Hero of Time Returns
by Wellwater41
Summary: Link from OOT returns after many years to retake his place as the Hero of Time and see Zelda once again.
1. The End of a Long Journey

The trees of the lost woods swayed quietly in the wind, their thick branches shading the ground below from most of the morning sunlight. A single figure on horseback rode quietly, his head down. His horse nickered nervously.

"Easy, girl…" the man said with a reassuring pat on her neck. Something about the lost woods always bothered Epona. Even now, after years of traveling through the thick woods south of Hyrule, Epona would get nervous. Link assumed it was just a product of the horse's preference for wide open spaces. He didn't like to think there was something out there that Epona could sense and he couldn't.

Link sat up straight, sighing. He was tired: tired of traveling, tired of living on the road, and tired of searching. For years he'd been away, and he had little to show for it. He hadn't found Navi, and after seven years he'd been forced to admit wherever she was, he would not be finding her. He'd saved Termina from the spirit of Majora, but nothing remained of his adventure there. In fact, the more time that passed, the more he wondered if Termina even existed at all. He'd traveled through the faraway kingdoms to the south, but Navi had not been there.

Seven years. Seven long, fruitless years he'd been gone from his home of Hyrule. It had seemed like the right thing to do at the time. He and Zelda had just saved the kingdom from Ganondorf's evil clutches. They'd been thrust back into their child bodies, and any evidence of the Gerudo king's evil reign was gone. Zelda had insisted they go their separate ways, at least for the time being. With the Master Sword back in the Temple of Time, and her insistence that their pieces of the Triforce be kept hidden, there was nothing to separate him from a commoner. And suspicions would be raised if the princess spent too much time with a commoner.

It had stung, but Link hadn't argued. She was the princess after all, and infintely wiser than he was. Besides, his feelings for Zelda were complicated and confusing, and he needed some time to figure them out. He'd been thrust into the body of an adult and pulled back to childhood again. It had taken years of growing up the normal way to realize he'd held a great deal of affection for her. Of course, that ws years ago, and such a long time apart left him unsure of his own feelings, not to mention hers.

Soon he'd be back though, back in Hyrule after so long away. He'd debated going to the Kokiri Forest first, but had discarded the idea. No one there except Saria would even recognize him, and it was likely she'd be in the Forest Temple anyways. It was his home, but he'd long since outgrown it. Instead he was heading for Hyrule Castle Town. Something seemed to be pulling him there.

Link shook his head slightly. The sooner he got to a city with a proper inn, the better. He wondered if anyone in the city would even recognize him. He'd spent a lot of time there as a child, but that had been a long time ago. He stood much taller now, and he'd grown his hair out long, pulled tight into a bun behind his head as many people in the kingdoms south of Hyrule did. He still wore a green tunic, but he'd abandoned his matching green hat. And he'd added a stiff leather jerkin. A sword and shield were on his back, but they weren't the right ones. The Master Sword and a Hylian shield, that's what he wanted.

Slowly he and Epona continued, the woods starting to thin as they approached the southern border of Hyrule. Soon they were finally reaching Hyrule Field, its great expanse the last leg of this long journey. As the trees began to fade and more sunlight reached them, Link could feel Epona's nervousness fade and her excitement grow. Link loosened the reins and let her run, enjoying the feel of the wind rushing by him. Epona whinnied excitedly. Even after all these years she seemed to recognize her homeland. Link shared her feelings.

The hours passed quickly, and by early evening Link could see the castle walls in the distance. He urged Epona onwards, and she complied. Soon they were approaching the drawbridge that led into the city, and Link dismounted.

"Okay girl," Link said soothingly as Epona breathed heavily. "Go find your way to Lon Lon Ranch. I'll call you when I need you."

Whether Epona understood or not, she trotted away. Link gave a smile. No doubt Malon would be happy to see Epona after so long away. She'd been hesitant to let him take the horse, but Link had insisted and Epona was happy to follow him. But as he turned back to the walls, his smile faded.

It was strange, but he almost felt… nervous. It had been so long since he'd seen the city. And in an alternate timeline he'd fought through hordes of undead creatures to reach the castle. He'd heard the howling wind blowing through the dilapidated city. He'd watched as the castle collapsed in on itself. There were a lot of memories here, a lot of them bad ones. But there were some good ones too: playing games in the town square, meeting a princess in her garden. It was these memories that pushed him onwards across the drawbridge and into the city.

The city was bustling. The main street he was on led into the town square, and he could barley see it over the crowds of people walking along in every direction.

 _Was the city always this crowded?_ He thought to himself. _Maybe it's grown over the years, or maybe I'm just used to walking through the woods alone._

He walked slowly, looking all around so as to not miss anything. Houses and stores lined the streets, and people were talking to each other animatedly. It was a happy atmosphere, and Link soon found himself wandering nonchanlantly through the crowds. He listened the the conversations as they passe him.

"Did you hear the news about the Gerudo?" One man asked another. The man he was speaking to nodded excitedly.

"I sure did, Princess Zelda has finally secured a treaty with the savages," the second man replied. "She's going to make an amazing queen."

Link smiled sadly at this. It was great to hear Zelda was accomplishing so much, but it made him miss her even more. He wanted to see her again, but he doubted she'd have the time. It sounded like she was keeping herself busy in her role as ruler-to-be.

Link continued his wandering, noticing the changes from his memories. Everything seemed busier. Eventually he arrived at a familiar building: the Temple of Time. It was quieter here, a stillness resting over this holy place. He walked inside.

There were people inside: a few priests and some civilians sitting in the pews. Link wondered why there were people here. The temple had always been empty when he'd been a child. The altar and Door of Time still stood at the far end.

 _Maybe Zelda has something to do with it_?Link thought. It would make sense if she'd taken an interest in revitalizing the temple; both of them had a special connection to it.

Link took a seat in one of the pews, wishing to observe the goings-on of the temple. Soon a priest approached, dressed in a white robe with a decorated stole around his neck. He gave Link a bow and Link returned it.

"Blessing of Hylia upon you," the priest said. "I am Priest Logain. I have not seen you before, is there anything I can do for you?"

"I'm from out of the city," Link replied, "I wanted to see the temple for myself. What can you tell me about it?"

The priest seemed excited by the question. It was clear he enjoyed this topic.

"Well," he began, "This temple stands waiting for the Hero of Time. Someday he'll be sent to us by Hylia in our hour of need to stop the coming darkness."

Link nodded in interest, a small smile threatening to show on his face. It was strange to hear someone talk about him like this. Logain continued.

"Someday he will bring the three Spiritual Stones here, open the Door of Time, and draw the Master Sword form its pedestal."

"The Master Sword?" Link asked with a hint of wonder in his voice. He was playing with priest, sure, but the Master Sword still inspired some awe in him; even after all his time with it.

"Yes, the sword of evil's bane," Logain said with reverence. "The princess has taken an interest in the temple, she's instructed us to watch carefully for the Hero of Time."

 _That's interesting,_ Link thought. _Why would Zelda do that except to know when I returned?_

 _Maybe she missed you,_ another, quieter voice in his head pointed out. Link ignored it; it was most likely a foolish hope. Still, if she wanted the Hero of Time to reveal himself, he would not disappoint her.

"Logain," Link interrupted the priest's recital of important figures in the Temple's history. "I hate to stop you, but there is something I must do."

Link stood and calmly began to walk towards the altar. Logain followed him, unaware of what was about to happen.

"You want to pay respects to the goddess?" Logain asked quizzically.

"Not quite," Link smiled.

"Then what is it?" Logain asked.

"This," Link said as he placed his hands on the black metal of the altar. The light streaming in through the high windows of the temple seemed to fade as the three Spiritual Stones appeared above him, shining like the sun. They were always with him, gifts from the kokiri, gorons, and zoras. They spun slowly in the air as they lowered onto the pedestal. A few gasps could be heard, but otherwise it was only silence. Then the rumbling started.

The door behind the altar shook as it started to open. Slowly the room behind it revealed itself, and Link smiled as he saw the Master Sword there waiting for him. He strode confidently through the door, ignoring the eyes on him. He reached the pedestal and stopped. The sheath was lying on the ground behind it, where he'd left it all those years ago. Link ran his hand slowly over the sword's hilt, savoring the feel of leather.

 _It's been so long,_ he thought with a smile. _But finally I've got you again._

He grabbed the hilt with both hands and drew it from the stone. It gave a satisfying ring that echoed through the silent chamber. Link looked at the blade lovingly before giving a few practice swings. It felt so right. He grabbed the sheath off the ground, and slid the sword in before tying it onto his back. As he turned back towards the entrance, he saw Logain there, pointing and trying to speak.

"You're- you're- you're the Hero of Time," Logain stuttered out. He seemed to be overwhelmed.

"I am," Link responded with a knowing smile, "Please inform the princess."

* * *

Princess Zelda put on a brave face as she walked through the great hall of the castle. Her father's throne stood at the far end, nearly obscured by the large pillars that lined the hall. A young nobleman walked by her side, talking nearly nonstop. He'd asked to speak her about official business. He'd said his family was having issues with their trading partners in Kakariko Village and he wanted her advice resolving the issue. So far he'd only spoken about himself. It was becoming clear that the noble had simply wanted an excuse to meet with her for personal reasons.

It was becoming more common, young and not-so-young nobleman were attempting to woo her. Some of them were after the power, some saw her as a trophy to acquire. It was frustrating, even moreso because her father seemed to encourage them. She would often tell him she was much too busy serving the people of her kingdom to waste her time dating, but her father never seemed to hear her.

She'd been raised to someday become the ruler of Hyrule. Her life was dedicated to Hyrule. She'd spent seven years conquering Ganon, living in hiding as a Sheikah. Then she'd been thrust back into the body of a child. As a result she felt a good deal more mature than any other seventeen year old. After that she'd dedicated all her time to studying, preparing to be the best ruler she could.

Remembering the time she'd spent fighting Ganon brought a small smile to her face. She remembered Link as she often did nowadays. She hated to admit it, even to herself, but she missed the forest boy. They'd developed a bond during their time together, united by a common goal. And then they'd gone their separate ways: him to his travels and her to her royal duties. It was good, to get some distance, but it had left her with a twinge of regret that never quite faded.

The nobleman next to her continued to talk animatedly, and she smiled politely as he laughed at his own joke. It was important she keep up appearances, and it wouldn't do for him to rebuke him outright. But her mind was mostly elsewhere.

There was the treaty with the Gerudo to worry about. Yes it had been signed, but tension between them and the Hylians was still high. There was a lot of distrust, no matter what she and Nabooru, the Sage of Sprit, did.

Rauru, the Sage of Light, had been coming to her in her dreams. He was concerned with rumblings in the Sacred Realm. He had no proof yet, but he swore something dark was coming.

All in all, she was kept very busy. Her musings were interrupted by a servant running towards her, nearly in a panic.

"Princess," the servant gasped out, "The Temple of Time!"

"What is it?" The princess asked quizically. It was rare for a servant to interrupt a meeting like this, even a casual one. "Is something wrong?"

The servant shook his head, gasping for air before continuing. "Someone opened the Door of Time and drew the Master Sword."

Zelda gasped. There were only two possibilties. One was that some dark force had forced their way into the Temple of Time, the other…

"I'm sorry sir," Zelda said to the nobleman who had been curiously silent during the servant's outburst. "But I must see to this."

Zelda hurried away before she heard his reply, the servant following closely at her heels. She hoped it was Link who'd drawn the sword, but she needed to make sure. She ignored the worry in her stomach at the thought of seeing him after all these years.

She left the castle in a hurry, walking down the path towards the castle gate. A few tense minutes passed as she walked down the path towards the temple. The people around her pointed and stared, but she ignored them, intent on her destination. Soon she was walking up the path towards the temple where a large crowd had gathered. Her presence did nothing to calm them, and the furious whispers increased in volume. The crowds parted as sheapproached, and she made her way into the temple.

There, leaning against the altar, the Master Sword strapped to the back of his green tunic, stood Link. His hair was different, but the smile was the same. She froze upon seeing him.

"Hello Princess Zelda," Link said with a cocky smile. "It's good to see you."


	2. Meeting the King

Link could see something in Zelda's eyes as she stood across from him in the Temple of Time. She looked almost nervous, as if she had a thousand things to say and couldn't decide on which would be the first. But it was gone quickly, so fast Link wasn't sure if he'd seen it at all. She looked calm, and her face had a look of regality to it.

 _And beautiful,_ the voice in the back of his head piped up unbidden. _Don't forget beautiful_

Link couldn't lie to himself, she looked amazing. He'd hardly appreciated her blond hair and fair complexion when they'd been fighting for their lives against Ganon. And then he'd left, with only memories to remind him of Hyrule's princess. He'd traveled far, seen a lot of different people, but none compared to the woman who stood before him. His cheeks reddened slightly.

He quickly schooled his own features, adopting what he hoped was an appropriately respectful look for a hero meeting a princess. After all, none of the people here knew he had already met Zelda.

He walked slowly towards her, fighting to keep the red from his cheeks as he coninued to take her appearance in. It wasn't anything dirty: it was like he'd had a faint memory clawing at the edge of his mind for years and now that he'd remembered it; he needed to ensure he'd never forget it again. Zelda was that memory. She was his closest friend except maybe Navi. But still he kept a straight face. She was the one who would know how to handle the situation, and he'd follow her lead.

"Welcome, Hero of Time," she said in a grandiose voice once he was within a half dozen steps of her. He could see her quickly mouth the word 'kneel', and he did so.

"I am Link," he began, remaining on one knee. "I serve Hyrule and its king."

Link was pretty proud of himself. He'd managed to kneel cleanly, and his response sounded just like what he imagined a hero from a story would say. Zelda gave him a small smile and nod, unnoticed by the crowd, and Link felt his heart beat faster.

Zelda gave him her hand, and he took it, kissing the back of her glove. He kept his eyes locked with hers as he did so, and he could have sworn he saw some pink rise in her cheeks. But it could have been his imagination. Zelda bid him stand and he did so before she turned to the crowds slowly pushing closer to them.

"People of Hyrule," she said calmly, but her voice seemed to carry across the room. "I give you your Hero of Time."

The people cheered, and Link felt a bit embarassed. He hadn't known what to expect, announcing himself to everyone. Last time he'd drawn the Master Sword he'd been locked in the Sacred Realm for seven years, and after that people were too worried about their own safety to care about a Hero of Time. Heck, he'd never even heard of the Hero of Time growing up in the forest. But he supposed these people had been raised on legends of heroes sent by Hylia. It was only natural they be excited. Zelda, for her part, held a stoic look on her face as she began heading for the door. The crowds fell away in front of her, knowing better than to get to close to the princess. She made indication he should follow, but he quickly did so anyway. The eyes of the crowd were beginning to weight a bit on him, and if he stayed any longer he thought they might request some sort of performance or speech from him.

As they left the temple, Link was surprised by the number of people who were outside. There had to be a few hundred. Link could see many common people, but there were even a few nobles in fine robes and some guards. It seemed that the news of his arrival had travelled fast. Link mostly ignored them, but he did grasp a few hands of the children that eagerly reached out to him.

 _To think they're this excited to see me and they don't even know what I've done for them,_ Link thought with a tinge of regret. He'd saved Hyrule because that was the right thing to do, not to get credit.

 _But a little credit isn't a bad thing,_ the tiny voice in the back of his head responded.

He shook himself out of his thinking as he hurried to catch up with Zelda. He walked by her side in amicable silence for a while, stealing glances at her. Her face betrayed no emotion. Link did not try to start a conversation, prefering to wait until she spoke first. As they passed the castle gate and approached the castle proper, Link was wondering if maybe she was less excited to see him than he'd hoped. After all, a beautiful, busy woman like her was most likely the focus of many people's attention.

But, as they entered the large main entrance of the castle, the high ceilings and marble columns inspiring awe, Zelda grabbed his arm and pulled him sideways, through a small doorway. Inside was a sitting room, a few comfortable couches lining the wall. As he opened his mouth to ask where they were going, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him.

"Oh Link," she said as she squeezed him not unpleasantly, "It's been so long."

Link didn't respond, instead wrapping his own arms around her and lifted her off the ground, spinning in a circle. It felt so good to see her again, and he tried to pour a lot of his feelings into that hug. As he sat her down, they both seemed to become aware of just how close their faces were to each other, and they both let go at the same time, faces redenning. Link cleared his suddenly-constricted throat and Zelda spoke up.

"Um, yes," she began before seeming to remember what she was going to say, "I need to take you to meet my father, he'll no doubt have heard about you by now."

"Your father?" Link asked quickly. He wasn't sure why, but the thought of meeting the King and, more importantly, Zelda's father filled him with worry.

"Yes," Zelda said matter-of-factly, "The King of Hyrule."

Link noticed the change in her demeanor. Her back straightened and her expression morphed into one that betrayed no emotion. Link was sorry for the change; he much preferred her being excited to see him over the somewhat cold demeanor she now wore. But he did not question it. After all, he imagined that the princess throwing herself into the arms of a man she supposedly just met would not be well received, especially by her father.

"Did you tell him anything about me?" Link asked.

She shook her head. "No, I thought it best to just keep our adventure a secret."

Link nodded. That was a bit discouraging. Saving the King of Hyrule from death at the hands of Ganondorf would definitely have made him look a little better, but it could not be helped. Zelda straightened her dress, one she filled out rather nicely in Link's opinion, and walked out the door they'd just entered. Link sighed as he followed her back into the great hall.

They walked slowly along the long, richly embroidered carpet that ran from the entrance all the way down to the far end of the hall where Link could just make out a throne at the top of a flight of stairs with someone seated on it. It was nearly a hundred yards long, this hall, and almost half as wide. Link fought the urge to feel overwhelmed.

 _You fought the king of all evil,_ he reminded himself determinedly. _You will not be scared of a room._

 _Is it the room or the man at the end of it that you're scared of?_ A voice in the back of his head whispered. Link ignored the voice of doubt.

They reached the steps that led up to the thrones quickly, and Link began to see the large figure sititng on the biggest throne. He was a hulking man, a large white beard hanging down almost to his waist. Broad-shouldered and barrel-chested, Link was reminded of a goron immediately. The man had a stoic look on his face, and Link could feel the man judging him like a horse at market.

As they reached the landing upon which the two thrones, Link realised that a woman sat upon the smaller of the two. Link realised this must be Zelda's mother. They looked similar, both with blonde and regal in appearance. Link's focus was quickly drawn back to the king as Zelda spoke.

"Father," she said with a smile, and Link was glad she'd gone with an informal tone. "This is Link, wielder of the Master Sword."

Link quickly knelt, his head down. The King looked as if he demanded respect, and Link would not be the one to deny him it. He looked up as the King of Hyrule rose from his throne.

"Rise, son," the King said in a commanding voice and Link did so.

The King approached him slowly, looking at him intently. The King stood nearly a foot taller than Link, seeming to tower over him. Link couldn't help feeling a little scared as the moments passed slowly. But finally, the King nodded and spoke.

"We are glad to have you," the King said, "But why have you come? Is there some great evil looming that we do not know about?"

Link wasn't sure exactly how to answer that, so he went with the truth.

"I felt drawn to the sword," Link said, motioning to the hilt over his shoulder. "I don't know if there's anything coming, but I stand ready if there is."

"Good answer," The King said with a nod. "You look as if you've travelled far; we will have rooms made up for you."

Link suddenly felt it, the aching weariness from long days of riding a horse and sleeping on the ground. It hit him like a wave, and he could only nod as the King of Hyrule called for a servant to take him to his rooms. As he was led away, Link noticed Zelda speaking animatedly with her father.

 _Wonder what that's about_ , he thought, _I'll have to ask when I get a chance._

Normally Link would have been worried about where he was being led, but the promise of a bed was too strong for him to worry about the details. And after walking for a few minutes, ascending a set of stairs, and walking for a few more, the servant pulled open a large wooden door and beckoned him to enter. Link did so.

As he entered, he couldn't help but let his jaw drop. The room was huge, much larger than what he'd expected. There was a large bed that could comfortably fit two or three people, as well as a pair of comfortable chairs and a dresser.

"Is there anything you require," the servant said, and Link turned back towards him.

"A bath?" Link asked hopefully. It had been far too long since he'd had a proper bath, instead stuck with cold rivers for the most part. The servant only nodded, gesturing to a door along the side of the room.

"I will send in someone with hot water for you," he said. "If you leave your clothes with them we can have them cleaned for you."

Link nodded his thanks as the servant left, pulling the door solidly shut behind him. Link continued to look around; enthralled by the impressive room he'd been offered. There was a desk in the corner, and two large windows on either side of the bed that let in the orange glow of sunset.

Soon a knock on the door announced a servant, and Link let a pair of men in. One carried a bucket of water nearly the size of himself, the other a steaming kettle. Link followed them as they entered the bathing area. Even the restroom was large, with a copper tub behind a privacy shade in the middle. Link watched in silence as they prepared the bath, mixing in the boiling water from the kettle with the large bucket of water. They finished quickly, and Link stepped behind the shade to disrobe. He handed his clothes to the nearest of the two men, thankful that female servants had not been sent. A few of the southern kingdoms had a rathercavalier attitude towards nudity, but Link had never adopted their casual attitudes towards the opposite sex.

As the servants left, Link stepped into the tub, sighing loudly as he sunk into the hot water. The master sword was leant against the side of the tub just in case. He didn't expect any danger, but it just felt strange to not keep it near him.

For a long while he sat in the water, sometimes scrubbing himself down, sometimes just allowing his knotted muscles to relax. He was content.

His relaxing was interrupted by the sound of the door opening in the other room. Link's mind raced: a servant would have knocked first. Link's instincts were triggered, and he slowly rose from the bath, grabbing a nearby towel to wrap around him. He drew the Master Sword quietly, adopting a ready position as he approached the doorway leading into his bedroom. He adopted a ready position and rushed in, sword raised.

He froze, sword above his head and towel wrapped around his waist. There was Zelda, as surprised to see him like this as he was to see her. Her face quickly turned from shock to embarassment, her cheeks reddening darkly. Link was suddenly all too aware that he had nothing on but a towel.

 _Thank the goddesses I tucked the towel well,_ he thought in embarassment as he lowered his sword and used one hand to tightly grip the towel shut. He mumbled an apology as he retreated back into the bathroom, looking for something else to wear. There was a robe hung up, a long one that would cover everything, and he grabbed it quickly. He stepped behind the privacy shade and pulled it on, cinching the tie around his waist.

He entered his room again, noticing Zelda had taken a seat in one of the chairs.

"I'm sorry," they both said in unison before chuckling in embarassment.

"No, I'm sorry," Zelda began again. "I should have knocked, but I didn't want anyone to hear me. It wouldn't be proper for the princess to come to a guest's chambers at this time of night.

Link nodded, sternly keeping his mind from wandering to what sort of rumors that might start.

"And I'm sorry for being so nervous," Link said with a shake of his head, "It was stupid of me to assume there would be danger here."

"You've had to worry about such things in your travels?" Zelda asked curiously.

"Sometimes," Link shrugged. "There are always wolves or Stalchildren around, it comes with the wilderness."

"And was your journey successful," Zelda asked, and Link shook his head. Zelda seemed to recognize he didn't want to talk about it, and Link was grateful.

"So why did you return?" Zelda pressed. Link hesitated.

 _Because I wanted to see you again,_ he thought, but quickly discarded it. It wouldn't do to profess any sort of feelings until he knew how Zelda felt about seeing him again.

"I just felt drawn back," Link answered truthfully. "I don't know, have you heard of any evil rising up? Is Ganon still locked away?"

"He is," Zelda repsonded with a nod. "He's still stuck in the Sacred Realm according to Rauru. The biggest thing that's happened around here is tension between Hyrule and the Gerudo people, but we've just signed a treaty."

"Then I don't know," Link shrugged, "Maybe I just felt like coming home."

Zelda smiled at him, and Link felt his face heat up. She had such a pretty smile.

"I'm glad you're back," Zelda replied. "Tomorrow will be a busy day; we've already had a dozen requests from nobles who want to meet the Hero of Time."

Link groaned, and Zelda laughed. It was a bright, ringing sound that made Link smile.

"I know it doesn't sound fun," Zelda said with a reassuring smile, "But I've talked to my father about you coming with me when I leave in a few days and he's agreed."

"Where are you going?" Link asked quickly.

"To Gerudo Valley," she replied simply. "The King has signed the Gerudo's treaty here, but I need to sign their copy at their fortress."

"You'll be signing it, not your father?" Link asked, curious. Zelda gave an unconcerned shrug.

"I've done most of the work for this treaty, I'll be the next ruler, and I'm a woman."

"And I'm a man," Link muttered, "I'm sure they'll just love seeing me. They'll probably throw me in their stupid jail again."

Link laughed at him again, and his annoyance faded immediately.

"It'll be good to see Nabooru again," he began, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Zelda's eyes widened. She stood up quickly, running intothe bathroom to hide.

"Come in," Link said steadily, carefully hiding his worry.

Link sighed as he saw a servant enter with his freshly laundered clothes. Link took them from the man quickly, and hurried him back out the door. If the servant seemed upset by this, he didn't mention it.

After the door was closed, Zelda reappeared, her breathing a little quick from her impromptu dash. They looked at each other for a long moment before they both burst into laughter. It was so silly after all they'd been through, worried about a servant catching them laughing.

"I'd better go," Zelda said with a tinge of regret after they'd calmed back down. "I'd hate to explain being here with you in a bathrobe.

Link nodded, seeing the wisdom in her words. The princess seemed to hesitate, as if there was something else she wanted to say. For a long moment they stood looking at each other. As she began to walk towards the door, on impulse, Link grabbed her hand and kissed it once again. He wasn't sure what compelled him to do it. In truth he wanted to pick her up again, spin her around, and this time kiss her deeply, but the risk of that ending with him getting slapped was just a hair too high for his taste.

Zelda seemed to approve, favoring him with another broad smile before she pulled open the door and disappeared into the dim hallway beyond. Link sighed, already missing her presence. He threw himself into the large bed, desperately trying to think through his convoluted feelings for the princess. He didn't make it far before he fell asleep.


	3. The Training Grounds

The next morning found Link well rested. The sun peaking through the large windows of his room woke him, and he got out of bed slowly. There would be plenty to do today, he was sure, but for now it was nice to take things slow.

No doubt his emergence as the Hero of Time had spread throughout the city, and he'd likely receive invites to meet the nobles. Throughout all his travels, Link had consistently been amazed at how universal the nobility's actions were. They constantly had an ear to the ground, scouting out anything that could help them improve their social standing. Link had serious suspicions that they'd see him as a pawn to use in political maneuverings.

As he finished dressing, strapping the Master Sword to his back, he was at a loss as to what he should do first. Zelda had rushed out last night before he could ask what he needed to do today, not that he'd been thinking about it at the time. As he stepped out into the empty and silent hallway, his mind was firmly locked onto the princess.

It was hard to get a grip on how he really felt about her. They'd developed some form of camaraderie when they'd been forced to work together against Ganondorf. But it had never progressed beyond that. Link wasn't sure if Zelda even wanted it to, and after so many years it was hard to say whether or not they could even be as close as they once were.

 _At least we'll get to spend some time together on the way to the Gerudo Desert,_ Link thought hopefully.

Link shook himself out of his ponderings to realize he'd somehow exited the castle and was currently standing on the edge of one of the training fields the guards used. It was a flat open area with a dirt ground, waist high stone walls lining the edges. A few dozen men were scattered around, some practicing forms against straw dummies, some actively fighting each other. The clang of metal resounded in a not unpleasant manner. On the far side, Link could see a few men and women on the far side who were watching one of the duels closely, their fine clothes marking them as nobles or rich merchants.

Link gave a brief smile to no one in particular. With so much of his life shrouded in mystery at the moment, it was nice to be in a place where things made sense. He was most comfortable with a sword and shield in hand.

He couldn't see anyone that seemed to be in charge, so Link made his way towards one of the unused training dummies. It was little more than a wooden cross with a burlap sack of straw fastened around it and a red bulls-eye painted on the chest. It had an old iron helmet sitting on its 'head'. Link chuckled at it, but it would serve its purpose.

He drew his sword, loving the gentle ring of the metal against the sheath. The Master Sword was glowing bright, its polished blade reflecting the morning sunlight. Link took a ready position, the sword held loosely in two hands and his feet spread shoulder-width.

He pivoted, closing the distance between him and the dummy and bringing the sword down in a vertical chop. He stopped just short of the dummy, and quickly spun around in a full spin to perform a horizontal chop with one hand. He pivoted back, increasing the distance between him and the dummy as he spun the sword around and back to the two-handed grip of his ready position.

It felt right. He'd been using whatever sword he could find on his travels, but the Master Sword was _his_ sword and it just felt right in his hands.

He changed his grip, holding it backwards in one hand so that he could quickly cut across the dummy's chest with a punching motion. Normally that was a move for a dagger, but this was just training and Link was beginning to feel the dense knots of muscle in his back loosen. He pushed himself harder, spinning around, chaining blows together. Some of his strikes would cause brief memories to flash in his mind of real instances where he'd used them: fighting Dark Link in the Water Temple, slicing the whips Majora had used against him all those years ago. Some of the strikes felt familiar even though he was sure he'd never used them.

It was always that way when he fought. Zelda had long ago told him that the blood of other Heroes flowed through his veins, that he was a reincarnation of a long line of boys who had saved Hyrule. Link assumed that was why he'd been able to pick up the intricacies of sword fighting so quickly.

He lost himself to his training, not noticing the crowd of soldiers and nobles that had gathered around him once they realized who he was. When he finally stopped, panting slightly, he was surprised to hear a smattering of applause. Startled, he looked around and took in the few dozen people around him. He scratched the back of his neck in mild embarrassment.

One of men Link recognized as a participant of the duel the nobles had been watching walked up to him, all smiles. Link noticed it didn't reach his cold, dark eyes. Although he was dressed in simple clothes appropriate for training, there was no doubt he was nobility. There were little touches everywhere that named him: the ruby on the pommel of the sword at his side, the high quality of his clothes, and the clean, filed nails on the hand he extended to Link.

Link shook the proffered hand hesitantly. The man's overly-amicable expression seemed to be hiding something dark, although Link couldn't be sure.

"Hello Hero of Time," the man said loudly, clearly wanting this to be a public conversation. "I am Fabius. Impressive work against the dummy, would you care to try your luck against something a bit more challenging?"

Link ignored the subtle dig. "What do you have in mind?" He asked with as much calm in his voice as he could manage.

"A duel," Fabius proclaimed, "Me and you, to first blood."

Link could hear the murmurs in the surrounding crowd, and he didn't blame them. To call for a duel to first blood was a serious thing, and challenging a stranger to one could be seen as an insult. Normally a shallow nick was the goal, but accidents happened and the duel could end badly. If Link was reading the man right, Fabius liked having eyes on him. Fabius wanted the glory of defeating the Hero of Time, and Link could appreciate that. He didn't take offense at Fabian's challenge, but he didn't intend to let it lie either.

"Alright," Link nodded. The mumbling in the crowd grew louder, as the people backed up to give the two men a circle in which to duel.

Link looked around, taking in the people's reactions. Clearly they had some respect for this Fabius's abilities, and Link wondered whether he'd made a mistake. Either way he was stuck in this duel.

Fabius drew his sword and adopted a loose ready stance. Link followed suit, taking hold of the hilt of his sword with both hands.

"Are you ready?" Fabius asked with a smirk, and Link nodded. Without another word, Fabius rushed him, a cold look of concentration etched on his face.

Link brought his sword up quickly, blocking the first few strikes as he was forced to step back. It was clear that Fabius was extremely talented with a sword.

As they locked swords, Link used the close proximity to push back, shoving Fabius to give himself some more space. He pushed forward on the offensive, but Fabius turned his blows aside. Link wasn't used to fighting other swordsman. Most of his fighting was done against giant monsters. They were difficult, but they didn't require quite the finesse that a skilled duelist required.

Back and forth they went, Link refusing to give up as Fabius pushed him to his limit. If he'd been able to look around, he might have seen a pair of women watching him from a window in the castle. Impa and Zelda stood, observing the duel from a distance.

"He looks a little rusty," Impa said stoically. Zelda knew Impa was teasing her, even though the large Sheikah woman's face betrayed no hint of smile.

"Fabius is a duelist," Zelda shrugged, "He spends almost as much time fighting on the training grounds as he does sleeping."

"You know he doesn't do that just to train," Impa said, "He's trying to catch your eye. How was your date with him yesterday?"

"It wasn't a date," Zelda said brusquely, "He wanted to talk business, and then when I met with him all he wanted to do was talk about himself."

Impa gave her a pointed look that quite clearly said she should have expected it. Zelda ignored the look.

"Besides," Zelda continued, "I left as soon as a servant brought news of Link's arrival. If Fabius can't take the hint, it's not my problem."

"So you spurned his advances and ran after Link instead?" Impa asked.

"I didn't run after Link," Zelda said with a hint of childishness, "I did my duty as Princess of Hyrule."

For a long moment, Impa did not reply, instead looking out the window at the duel below.

"I wonder how Link would feel if he knew this duel was personal."

"What?" Zelda asked, surprised.

"Think about it Zelda," Impa explained, "Fabius probably thinks you've chosen Link over him, and he's going to win you back through this duel."

"That's stupid," Zelda scoffed. "I'm not a prize to be handed around to the winner of some fight."

"Men can be stupid," Impa shrugged. She shot Zelda a sidelong glance. "Besides, I'm sure you'd find it endearing if someone else was willing to fight for you."

Zelda didn't reply, but her cheeks turned red. She was more than aware who Impa was referring to. Impa had been her closest confidant and friend for her entire life, and there were few things they did not share with each other.

"Either way," Impa continued, sparing Zelda anymore needling, "Hopefully Link can beat him. It wouldn't do for the Hero of Time to lose so quickly into his tenure."

Zelda nodded in agreement.

Down below in the training ground, the two combatants were panting heavily. They'd disengaged momentarily, both fighting for air. Neither had been able to score a blow, but Link was clearly losing. He'd barely held off the last flurry of strikes. Fabius was once again coming after him, his sword raised in the air. Link adopted a ready pose, lifting the Master Sword high enough to stop the downward slash. Fabius spun with the rebound of his sword, spinning into a diagonal cut aimed at Link's shoulder. Link sidestepped, allowing the blade to chop down at the ground. He followed it up with a horizontal slash of his own, and Fabius had to lean backwards to dodge it. Fabius smirked at him as he did so, and Link felt his blood began to boil.

Fabius backed up a step, raising his sword once again. He swung again, forcing Link back once more.

"Is this it?" Fabius smirked. "This is all it takes to be the Hero of Time?"

Fabius was taunting him, hoping to lure him into making a mistake. But Link's felt the rage growing in him anyway. He fought the urge to snarl as furious adrenaline gave new life to his weary limbs.

"I've killed monsters you couldn't even imagine," Link yelled out, his voice thick with rage. Fabius seemed uncertain for a moment, but steeled his features quickly. Link pushed forward, swinging his sword faster than before, each slash turned away but quickly chaining into another.

"I've faced evil you wouldn't find in your worst nightmares," Link yelled as he continued his onslaught, picking up his speed. "And I won't be defeated by the likes of you!"

Link slashed once more, a horizontal strike that knocked Fabius's sword from his hand, and he stabbed forward, catching the young nobleman's cheek with the edge of his blade. A red line appeared, and a drop of blood dripped out as Fabius fell backwards onto the ground with a look of fear and hatred etched on his face.

The people around him burst into applause, amazed at the duel. Link mostly ignored them, a sudden feeling of weariness flooding his system. He gave Fabius a curt nod that was ignored before turning and trudging back towards the castle. No doubt there would be consequences from this, but Link took solace in the fact that he'd come out on top.


End file.
